The Tattooed Seer
by whitesash
Summary: Bella Swan falls in love with a handsome stranger, who turns out to be from another planet. He has come to tell her that she can become a guardian of the Earth if she travels with him to another world with him to get ready. What she doesn't know yet is that she might have to fight in a war against aliens.
1. Chapter 1

I still remember my first clue clearly. I was sitting alone at home, and tried to study in my room, but I was not interested, so my mind wandered, as usual. I saw my meaningless life for what it was, and the shallow friendships I had. I hoped there was a place where I could make a difference, even if it was in another country, or another world. The belief in life in outer space gave me a ray of hope every time a pang of despair shot through my mind. The possibility of other intelligent creatures could even lull me to sleep...

I felt still felt drowsy when I arrived at the closest bus stop because I overslept. Nobody was there, so I called one of my best friends, Annette, if I was late.

"Hey Annette, I just arrived here, where are you?"

"I've just sat down. Please don't tell me you've missed the bus." she scolded me.

"I did," I replied as I slumped down onto the bench, "I can't believe this!"

"You'll come soon anyway, right?"

"Yeah, I'll be there ASAP."

Later, on my way home, I found myself on an unknown street, but I could not tell if it had been there before.

Have I missed a turn? Should I go back? Where am I? I should calm down... Oh, there's somebody coming, maybe he can help me. Wow, not simply somebody, he's a really handsome guy! I'll definitely come home this way tomorrow. Oh, he's approaching! Okay Bella, smile, stand straight, look beautiful...

"Hi, my name is..."

All of a sudden, a bomb exploded between us... and another. The handsome stranger got out of sight and I was pushed far away to weird, unknown places, and when I got back, the houses of the street were almost burned to the ground. It looked as if years had passed... hard, militant years. Yet,the stranger waited for me at the top of the ruins. I ran there and we embraced each other, but when we looked around all we could see was desolation. As if a world war came to past in a few minutes...

I woke with a start when I realized none of this had happened, but I had to be quick to get ready in time. My mother, Renée, entered the door, to urge me a little since I was about to be late. She was a really nice woman in her forties then, and the similarity between us could not be denied: we were both tall and thin, although neither of us was satisfied with our hips. Blonde hair framed our pale face and almond cut blue-green eyes, which were always glowing with peace and love, although mom rather had anger in hers this time.

"You're still in bed?! You have to leave in ten minutes! Get ready quickly and I'll pack your breakfast. Hurry up! Don't be late!" she yelled at me.

"Okay mom, I'll get ready as soon as you leave the room," I yawned.

"Why do you always leave your duties to the last minute? Does it make you feel better? Your father and I have never been like this. Where did you get this attitude from? Why can't you be just a little more attentive? Okay, I'll let you get ready, but you'd better be really fast, because I don't have time to take you to school today if you miss the bus." She scurried out of my room.

I looked around my clothes – I had never made a decision on what to wear so fast so far – then rushed out of the house, but still not rapidly enough to make it to the bus stop in time. As I arrived there I felt still drowsy, but nobody was there, so I called Annette to check if if I was late.

"Hey Annette, I just arrived here, where are you?"

"I've just sat down. Please don't tell me you've missed the bus." she scolded me.

"I did," I replied as I slumped down onto the bench, "I can't believe this!"

"You'll come soon anyway, right?"

"Yeah, I'll be there ASAP."

As soon as I put my phone back to my bag, I realized it was the very scene that I had seen in my dream last night, so I told my friends, Annette and Violet, everything at school. While Violet had always been nicer to me, Annette turned out to be the one who I can still count on.

"What do you think it means?" I asked them finally.

"Just that you were so tired yesterday that you knew you'd oversleep in the morning," Annette answered.

"But the beginning simply came true," I argued.

"It doesn't mean that so will the end. Bombs? War? Come on, Bella, I doubt that something like this would happen today," Annette continued.

"And the handsome guy?" I asked.

"Maybe we'll have a new classmate... or maybe you need a boyfriend... or the most likely, it was just a dream," Violet guessed.

"Maybe you're right." I calmed myself down.

"We surely are. I had a nightmare about some criminal with a burnt face, who wanted to kill me, and you were the one saving me. And it's quite absurd... I mean you saving me? You couldn't even hurt a fly... Just don't worry so much. Especially not because of a simple nightmare." Violet tried to cheer me up.

"Well, it's not that simple," I murmured.

At the end of the day, Annette and Violet went to the cafeteria, but I didn't join them, as I knew that mom ordered my favorite food. I went home alone with my thoughts. And I simply could not forget about that dream of mine.

It literally came true in the morning... The rest of it is going to happen, too... I can feel it... Or maybe I just want to feel it because of that guy? No, he didn't look good enough to make me want to die for him in the midst of a world war... However, we didn't die... Whatever. It was just a dream. The morning might have come true, but not the rest... Oh my God, where am I? The street signs are correct, but the street is not. What's this? A sick joke?... Or am I dreaming again? But when would I have fallen asleep? I could not be so bored at school... What's going on?

I felt as if I was in a fantasy world again: a guy, two or three years older than me, was coming closer. His hair was golden brown, looking as if someone had tousled it. I was wishing I could touch it so much. His eyes looked like the clear blue sky in summer, and I could have got lost in them. He smiled at me... I had never got much attention from a guy before, although I think I looked quite pretty... He was approaching me, which gave me a feeling of dejá vu and it scared me. I was afraid that a bomb might just blow up between us. However, only a slight breeze was blowing this time, and it fluttered a few curls of hair in my eye and opened my long shirt, so my mini-dress was exposed, as the stranger got within my reach.

"Hi, my name is Amron," he introduced himself, but I could barely get what he has said, since I was shocked to the core that it was actually happening. How embarrassing, I did not even get what his name was. Something with "um" for sure, something weird...

"Hi... Amron? What kind of a name is this?" I asked as confidently as I could, but I doubt it was a great first line. How could I ask him about his name? I hope he is not offended. I wish I could take it back all at once, or if I could start again.

"It's not English. I'm not from here, actually I'm from quite far away, but it's a long story."

"Is your name a long story?" I giggled. His answer was even lamer than my question, thank God!

"Okay, then rather complicated. I'm sure you'd understand, but it'd be too early to tell you."

"Early? How do you know it'd be early? And how do you know I wouldn't understand? You're so weird... I mean this situation... Have we already met somewhere? You seem to know me, but I definitely don't know you." I confused myself. There had to be something he did not tell me, so I tried to get it out of him. It was killing me.

"I know you, and I don't know you. Let's say that one of my friends has told me a lot of stories about you, which made me want to meet you in person. I'm in Bar Harbor, right?" he asked.

"What a sudden change of the subject!" I pouted, hoping to get the answers, but I realized how good a question his was. "Still, I wanted to ask you if you know where we are because it _is_ Bar Harbor, I grew up here and I know what used to be here, but it's not what I can see now."

"Well, it is the same as what should be here, I just transformed it a little. I prefer it this way."

"What? I don't understand. How could you transform a street?" I got perplexed. He must be making fun of me.

"It's just how you see it. Everything else remains the same, but anybody is capable of changing the looks. You can get changed, as well."

"Changing clothes is a little more easier than changing a street. Are you a painter or something? And you made it in one day?" I asked with confusion. There was no way it could be true. Even Extreme Makeover needed an entire week, and it would still be only one house. I deeply detested his superior attitude.

"You don't see my point, do you? What you see doesn't matter. What matters is how you feel inside. Close your eyes," he asked me nicely and I did so, thinking how it would change the fact that I got lost. And why was this stranger preaching to me? This Amron... Anyway what kind of a name is it?

"You can open your eyes now," he told me, and the street was exactly the same I had known.

"I don't understand. Is it some kind of a trick? Like, are you a magician?" I asked.

"To answer your first question, I'm not trying to "preach" to you, I just wanted to make you see my point. And my name was given to me by my parents, Kalee and Mirion Demrix, on my home planet, Desvala. It was not a trick, you'll be able to do it, once you've learned how."

"But how... WHAT? How did you... I didn't even ask these... Another planet?" I was mad at him. He was reading my mind. I wished I was dreaming again, but I did not wake up.

"Yes, if that's what you wanna hear, I am from another planet and I can read your mind." He managed to be funny and mysterious at the same time, so I was suddenly relieved.

"Now, you're either sick, or just making fun of me. Which one?" I chuckled.

"Don't worry, I'm not crazy, I was just kidding. I was wondering how you'd react," he chuckled, too.

"Oh, I see, now," I giggled, "A good one, I almost believed it." In fact, I did. Somehow everything he said felt believable to me, even though I did not understand it.

"Then I guess you think it would be absolutely impossible," Amron wondered.

"Of course!" I responded quickly, because I knew I had to. I didn't want him to think I'm crazy, but after I realized he made up this story in the first place, I continued "Well, I don't know. I'd like to believe that we're not alone. However, I doubt that aliens would look so good..." Oops, I was not supposed to tell it to a guy. I had to make it up quickly. "I mean like a human being," I murmured, and even flushed red a little.

"Why couldn't they look like a human being?"

"It'd be too good to be true." Now I was flirting, but why? I could not decide what I felt for him. He was handsome, for sure, but he was a weirdo.

"Oh, I see," Amron laughed.

"Anyway, how long are you staying in town?" I finally managed to ask something neutral.

"I don't know yet, for a few days for sure. It'd be great to look around before I leave. Do you know a good coffeehouse somewhere?" he asked.

"I do. There's Café au Lait at the next corner. It's the best."

"Could you show me the way there? I mean only if I'm not pushy, of course." He smiled, and made me melt inside.

"Okay, let's go."

He was not about to enter the coffeehouse. In fact, I had the feeling that he would rather spend some more time with me, but I was always wrong about this. His questions were lame, anyway, so he might have wanted to get rid of me in the end. I could never tell how a guy felt about me. Maybe this is why I was still single. But before I left, he asked something that gave me a ray of hope.

"Could you show me around sometime?"

"I don't know." I hesitated. I didn't dare to believe him.

"I'd like to know Bar Harbor a little more. I might move here soon."

"Oh, really?" I asked a little too zealously. Even the thought of bumping into him anytime was invigorating, but I realized he is not supposed to know it. So I repeated in a cold manner: "Really?"

"Yea, but it still depends on the future. I need permissions, a place to live and work, and so on. But I don't wanna bore you with this. The thing is, I don't wanna waste my time to get everything needed to come here, if this place and the residents don't turn out to be what I expected. Talking about residents, would you spend the afternoon with me tomorrow? Please?"He made my heart skip a beat with this last sentence. Then I might have a chance. He might really like me. But I am still not supposed to let him know he has a chance with me.

"All right... but not the whole afternoon, I only have a couple of hours."

"Even a couple of hours would be a pleasure for me." He kissed my hand, which surprised me so much that I didn't know what to say, so Amron continued. "Would you meet me here around this time tomorrow?"

"Okay, great," I blurted out and I wanted to say something else, but I was in such an awe that I couldn't, so I rather said goodbye.

I turned back several times, only to see Amron looking at me every time. I had no idea why, but it made me feel on cloud nine. All my way back home, I felt like dancing. I wondered if he felt the same way about me.


	2. Chapter 2

The invigorating feeling stayed with me at school, so when Violet and Annette questioned me for the reason of my bliss, they finally learned about the romance I thought I had.

"Do you remember the dream I was talking about yesterday? It came true!" I started. Seeing their puzzled faces, I continued. "Not the warlike part! But I met the guy I saw there. He looks even better in person. I adore him! He's so handsome... and nice... and very funny!"

"Sounds like love at first sight," Annette reacted cynically.

"I wouldn't say love just yet." I tried to look nonchalant, but I already imagined what his lips would taste like.

"What? Really? Why haven't you started with this? It's great!" Violet gave me a zealous hug. "So tell us: how did this happen?" And I did.

"Amron? It doesn't sound American." That was Annette's first reaction to my fabulous afternoon.

"I know, I also asked him about it, but he avoided the answer."

"Be careful! You don't know why he's hiding it."

"He couldn't harm me in any possible way. And regardless of where he's from, he has a great English, so he might be living somewhere around here. Oh, and he said he might move here soon!"

"Oh, Bella, it's so exciting! Do you think you might end up going out with him?" Violet chirped.

"I don't know, maybe. But it looks like that, right?" I was afraid to believe she might be right, but I was still overjoyed.

"It really does! And what are you gonna wear?" Violet asked with her usual wide grin.

"I won't have time to change my clothes. We'll meet right after school at Café au Lait."

"Great choice, it's a neutral spot," Annette added in a cold manner.

"Isn't it? His choice, by the way."

"Don't take it for granted, though. You just met once, anything might happen." Annette tried to bring me back to the real world as always.

"Come on, Annette! Why are you always so negative? Why couldn't he be the right guy for Bella? I mean they like each other, they're gonna see each other in the afternoon, and Bella has never talked about anybody like this," Violet interrupted to encourage me.

"Thanks Violet. By the way, I know it's not for sure, I just can't wait to see him again," I answered with a hopeful smile.

We left school together, as they couldn't wait for me and Amron to meet again, and on the bus, they even gave me the usual feminine advice:

"Be mysterious and inaccessible," Annette began.

"No, rather try to be funny, but not too much. And definitely don't let him kiss you yet. Wait to see if he's worth the trouble," Violet interrupted.

"Ask for something expensive, then you'll see how much he cares."

"Oh, please don't. You don't know what would be too expensive for him. What if he can't afford it?"

"If he moves here soon, then he should be able to buy something special. Plus he must have finished his schools so he's probably been working already."

"Who knows? Maybe he's coming here to study. By the way, Bella, do you know why he's moving here?" Violet asked.

"I don't know, and I don't really care. It isn't a real date anyway. I'll just show him around Bar Harbor and that's it. There's no need to over-complicate it." I made the girls finish their flow of advice. It was too much for me, especially because I was not interested, and they were about to kill each other over nothing.

"Okay, we got it, we're sorry. We just wanted to help." Violet sounded disappointed.

"I know, I know, I just don't wanna delude him. I want him to love me for who I really am." I had to put an end to this, but Annette showed her cold side again.

"To love you? Bella you're clearly far from love yet."

"Okay, you know what I mean," I responded in a nonchalant way.

"We have to get off now. Oh, wait! Your hair!" Violet set my hair right, before they left me alone on the school-bus.

I had to take the next stop. I could hardly wait to see Amron again. I could just hold him tight as soon as we meet. But I knew I couldn't. I shouldn't. It would be too early, and he probably didn't feel the same way about me. But who cares? Why couldn't I follow my heart? But what if that's exactly how I would lose him? Should I choose a strategy after all? Whose advice should I follow? Violet's or Annette's? I knew I couldn't delude him to get him. I have more respect for him. I was getting nervous. And when I got off the bus, I already felt a lump in my throat. I couldn't stop thinking about what I should do and how I should act. The simplest solution would be to go right home, but I wanted to see Amron so much. I missed his warm eyes already, and I had the feeling that he had somehow come here only for me. Whatever the reason was, I didn't want to mess it up. When I was finally getting close to the coffeehouse, my tension was suddenly gone as I saw him waiting for me outside. I was back in the clouds again, and kept on smiling unwillingly. I tried really hard, but I just couldn't stop it. When I finally reached the entrance, I almost gave him a hug, but I forced myself to kiss him on the cheek instead. It was the first time when I smelled his perfume: it was fresh and cool as a spring breeze, but still warm and comforting. I could smell it all day.

"Hi, how are you?" he brought me back to reality, and even made me forget why I was so nervous with some bantering.

Unfortunately, he had already seen everything in town by himself, so we just stayed for a coffee and talked. It felt like a real date. No matter how hard I tried to let go of the thought. He even opened the door for me, for Christ's sake.

"Wait, wouldn't you like to take off your coat? I know it's light, but I just saw a coat stand there, if you want to..." Amron asked me. And there really was a stand, although there had used to be a little tree there. Or wasn't there?

When he helped me take off my coat, it was too much for me. I was not used to polite guys of about my age then. They always ignored me as if I was not even there, or if they did not, they just bumped against me or made some witty comments, so in short, they were far from gentle. Actually there was one time when the most handsome guy at school, Josh, acted quite courteously around me, but as I found out later, he laughed at me behind my back, with the rest of the basketball team. I felt humiliated, so I decided that I would never fall for that again, and Amron was obviously too good to be true.

"Are you kidding me? Why are you so nice?"

"Do you like how I look?" He asked in a nonchalant tone.

"What?!" I asked back. The question shocked me at first, but I got mad in a few seconds. He looked great of course, like the guy I had always dreamed of, but that's something I would never ever tell anybody. Especially not him, face to face. "How can you ask such a question?"

"Everybody has the same outside and inside. If my inside is attractive to you, then, as a rule, so will be my outside."

"Why are you always talking in riddles? Or am I the only person who needs to solve puzzles without any clues deciphered?"

"You'll understand everything soon," he said in such a serene way that was irritating me.

"Why soon? Why not now? I hardly know you, yet every second sentence you tell me is 'You'll understand it soon!' What should I understand? What aren't you telling me?" my curiosity was driving me mad.

"Why don't we get something to drink? I'll figure out how to start till then. What would you like?" He must have thought he can always change the subject with such ease, but I was not going to give in this time.

"Don't think so much, just tell me as it is. I'm a big girl, I'll understand."

"Now could you just tell me what you'd like to drink?" He sounded irritated so much as if he was scolding me, and I realized I had been overreacting his generosity.

"Oh, well, I... I'll have a chocolate cappuccino."

"I'll be right back," said Amron as he went to the counter, and I wondered what I could not understand? And what was this "we are what we think" thing? And how can someone be so arrogant anyway? Exactly like Annette on a bad day. Before my anger could be fueled back on, Amron arrived with the drinks.

"I've asked for some whipped cream with chocolate powder on top for you, and I also added a teaspoon of sugar to it."

"That's exactly how I like it! How did you know?"

"Let's say it was a lucky guess of mine." he smiled, but I bet he knew it for sure.

"What did you get?"

"Coffee with milk. It must be their specialty. Do you wanna try it?"

"Oh yeah, café au lait, good one!" I chuckled. "But I don't drink coffee, thanks."

"Yeah, right, I forgot."

"Forgot? You know even this about me? How? It'd be time for you to start whatever you want to tell me, because I'm getting bored of your mysterious talk," I blurted out again.

"Okay, I'll stop," he laughed. "I want to get to know you better anyway. Do you go to the movies?"

"I prefer this type of conversation." I was relieved, as Amron finally seemed to be willing to talk about topics of my interest. Maybe he even liked me, and was about to ask me out. I was going to find it out pretty soon. "I sometimes go to the movies with my friends. They like romances, but I prefer science-fiction, fantasy and comedy."

"Those are my favorites, too. Then I guess you believe in aliens, UFO's, parallel universes, time traveling and so on."

"I don't know. Some are unbelievable, while others are rather funny than realistic. Like once I saw one about a war in space. I know, most of them is about this, but that one was especially silly because of how they depicted aliens and their weapons," I laughed. "So maybe I believe in them, but maybe I just want them to exist. It'd be soothing to know that ours is not the only planet with life on it."

"And what if there was a system where people would live a happy satisfying life, since anarchists and troublemakers would be transported to deserted planets, from where it'd be almost impossible to escape."

"If it's just _almost_ impossible then there will be somebody who can get away. A system like this would need a completely secure planet."

"What if it was made secure, but it was too late?"

"Then some people should be trained to send these runaways back to where they belong."

"And what kind of people do you think should be chosen to carry it out?"

"Well, obviously, they must be strong. Like soldiers or police officers."

"Those people have lots of other duties. Besides, they're over-educated in certain areas, while they know nothing about others."

"I didn't think about that. Then they shouldn't be officers... but rather people with pure heart and open mind, who are usually quite weak themselves: so they'd need extremely powerful weapons... And they obviously need to have a strong belief in the system, to be determined, not to misuse their weapons, and even ready to die. I could even fit into this description if I was a man. I would really love making those worlds a better place," I laughed.

"But why should it be a man? In general, girls have a purer heart and more open mind, since their aim is usually the common good, not individual authority or power. Unfortunately, the person who used to be a scientist and later helped the criminals escape also has excessive lust for power. And in fact, he might even be able to overthrow the system."

"I wish such an alliance really existed. I'd surely leave this planet right now, and help them in any way I can."

"I bet. Well, to be honest, your society really has a lot to change, so I understand why you would leave, but if there's enough time..."

"What do you mean by that?... Is it?... Everything you just told me was true?"

"Yes. Except that those who you called soldiers and police officers are actually called guardians, if I want to translate it into your language. They are able to do practically anything. They are chosen by a committee and they serve the System for ten years: between the ages of seventeen and twenty-seven."

"I'll turn seventeen this month."

"I know." This date was getting so creepy that I was scared to the core, and this calm answer was the last I could take.

"What do you mean by you know? How can you know everything? What are you? Are you really a mind-reader? Or some criminal? Or, my God, have you been stalking me? Am I going crazy or are you? I just... don't understand. How? And when? And why are you telling all these things to me?" I fumbled as such a perfect afternoon turned into a dreadful nightmare. It could not be real, I needed proof. If he couldn't give me any, I would stand up and leave without a word.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, but I didn't have any other idea how to tell you nicely. But listen, didn't you have a weird dream yesterday? Something that might happen, but being so beyond limits that you could not to believe it was real?" And here might come the proof I needed if he could explain what the rest of my dream meant.

"I did. You were there, too... and also a terrible war. The street where we met was bombed to the ground... I also flew to strange places... All the houses were in ruins," I fumbled.

"And were we alive?" He touched my hand to comfort me.

"Yes, both of us." I started to understand why he asked it. It did feel real, but there seemed to be a war. "Those things... can they become true?"

"Yes. You were the first one seeing survivors, but many other guardians had dreams about that war."

"Guardians? So you're saying I'm one of them?" It all got clear: why he was here and why he has something out of reach in him. What I still had no clue about was my role in this story.

"Now is time for me to start telling you what I came here for."

"It is already too late."

He told me how the so-called System worked and that they have been monitoring my brainwaves since I was born and that he knew so much about me because he was my protector. He would get me ready for my mission and protect me with his life if necessary. So I was right about his intentions. He would like to spend 10 years of his life with me. He could have chosen any girl, but he picked me. Or so I thought, before he cleared it up for me.

"It doesn't work like that. A computer chooses the best-suiting protector and guardian couples, before the protector candidates are invited to pick the guardian who they like the most. This is why they might end up with bad choices... and sometimes the match turns out to be too good."

"What do you mean by too good?" I was hoping he would tell me they fell in love and lived happily ever after, like in the storybooks my mother used to read for me when I was little.

"They fell in love..." he hesitated to continue, getting my hopes up, "... and they died during their mission."

"Died?" I was shocked to the core. How could they die if they protect each other? "All of them?" He nodded solemnly. "So if I fall in love I might die?"

"Might? If you fall in love then you practically choose to die. First of all, it influences your judgment. Your thoughts might go astray, making you miss the moment, which can cost your life. And secondly, intense happiness produces an excessive amount of bliss hormones that interferes with the source of power in your body and you will die."

"Can I quit later?"

"No. If you accept it on your seventeenth birthday, then you're obliged to fulfill your duty till your twenty-seventh birthday or the moment of death. Or, well, you can also get expelled, but then you'd have to begin a new life in the System as a disgraced person." He saw disappointment in my eyes, so he tried to cheer me up. "During those ten years of the mission all of your important deeds will be broadcast, including your Initiation. On most planets, people keep track of guardians' deeds. They are like your celebrities."

"Oh, wow! So I'd be famous?" I did feel better. He must have learned all he could to know it would work on me. But what sane girl would oppose to it? I bet that they took it for granted that I would go along with it. "Can I say no anyway? No to the whole mission now?"

"Of course. Nobody is forcing you to do anything you don't want. If there's anything you disagree with, then you shouldn't accept it. Then we'll just erase our conversation from your mind as if it never happened." He sounded disappointed, so it was my turn to cheer him up.

"And if I do accept it, what will be my duties?"

"Well, your duties would be," Amron sighed, "well, it's gonna take long. Wouldn't you like something else before I go on?"

"Okay, I'll have the same," I answered, and Amron went to get what we wanted. Then I realized how beautiful that place had become. The rounded tables were sparkling as the sunlight reached their metal top. The smell of the flowers became more intense, and their petals looked more lively. And the copper window frame turned gold. The whole coffeehouse seemed so perfect, and even so did I. When I saw my reflection in the mirror on the wall, I looked different: I was thinner, my blonde tresses were practically glowing, and my face had never looked so content. I might say I almost blossomed like the flowers around me.

"You really are beautiful," Amron told me when he returned.

"How do you... oh, yeah, of course. You're my protector. I need more time to get used to it." As I took my cup away from Amron, our hands touched and we looked deep into each other's eyes. And what I saw there was the same that I felt inside, even though I knew it was forbidden. Amron must have sensed it, too, as cleared his throat, then tried to avoid anything that could have happened by going on with my duties.

I finally learned what that deadly source of power would be. In the capital, I would get a holographic tattooed implant, which contains microchips and special substances. It would not only give me physical strength, but the power of my mind would be limitless, as well, since I could download a huge amount of information from their network. Still, it was the most attractive attribute I would get. I would have an own inner world shaped to my likes to recreate after demanding fights. With the port beam that it generates, I can teleport myself to anywhere in the System and on the Earth, and I could even travel a couple of hours back and forth in time. Besides, that tattoo would serve as a means of communication, as well as an entrance to my weapon storage – one of the functions it loses in ten years – so I felt revved up, except that I could not fall in love with him... or with anyone at all, so I had to ask.

"Is love completely forbidden for ten years, or only between protectors and guardians?"

"Completely, because you can die of shock. In case the bliss hormones are triggered suddenly, they create a fatal reaction with the substances of your tattoo. And when you're in love you tend to be involved in situations when this would happen." He grinned at me.

"I... I think I understand." I blushed with embarrassment, but then I realized what this would mean to me. My life would be in danger at all times, but I could not count on anybody for comfort. Amron would be there, but could not touch him the way I knew I would want within a few months or years. I would be all alone with a huge burden on my shoulders. How could I think he would love me? All he came here for was to ask me to die, not to love... him. Love for my world and for that unknown system was something I had to feel. Could I do it? Or was I considering this only because I liked him too much? It was too much to decide so quickly. I had to know how much time I had. "Still, if I accepted the mission, when should I start?"

"The seventeenth of June would be the day of your Initiation, but if you can, you should spend a week on Zornonia before that, to get used to its traditions, its way of life and to learn most facts that are needed for a proper decision."

"Then it would happen on my birthday... And I need a week before that." I was thinking loudly. It meant almost two weeks... as soon as summer vacation begins... but I had plans with my parents that I could not get out of.

"I know." Of course he does. "Don't worry, we can solve it."

"Thank you. Will I see you before that?"

"You're gonna spend this week alone, but I'll come and see you once more for sure. Now I should walk you home. Take your time and think about everything I said to make sure you'll come to the best decision when you say yes... if you say yes." Amron's eyes were sparkling as he helped me putting on my coat, and opened the door for me again, at which I was not surprised anymore. "Oh, I hope it's obvious, but please don't tell anyone what I've just told you. You can talk about it in due time."

"Of course! They might think I have a mental problem, just like I did when I first met you. I joked to hide my sorrow.

"I just hope I haven't scared you too much, but I wanted to give you the real picture. Many protectors tend not to tell the dark side of the service, so the candidates make inadequate decisions when they become guardians."

"I'm glad you chose me. I feel safe when you're around." We were silent during the rest of the walk. I felt like embracing Amron, or at least entwining my fingers in his, but I knew it was forbidden. Would I be able to spend ten years without tangling his hair?

"Take care, Bella. I'll see you in a few days. Take your time to think till then."

"I think that's all I'm gonna do." I smiled.

"Porti mo sa: ano ano on, nonna tena zot." he said in a different tone, which made a huge ball of light appear ahead, and when it disappeared, so did Amron with it. I just realized how late it was, so I sneaked up to my room, hoping that nobody would notice when I came home. To my surprise, I managed to do it. But when I finally went to bed, I was just tossing and turning. I could not stop thinking about Amron and the System.

Ten years with him... not allowed to fall in love... I can die... we might be together after the ten years have passed... But will we really?... I should see Zornonia at least... it must be beautiful... if I say no, Amron and I can still be together... oh, no, he's already a protector. If it's not me, he'd protect someone else... or maybe not?... My decision cannot depend on him... It is about my life, which would matter... I could help others... I might save the world... what if that war I saw happens here? Who could my family count on? Who could I count on?... If that war does break out then we are doomed... But if I take the mission I will be doomed... life without love?... I'm pretty sure I could love him... if I don't love him already... Oh, God how am I supposed to make that decision?... I'm just sixteen... too young to decide about my fate... I don't even know if I could live up to the expectations for me... I may be clear minded and clear hearted, but I hate violence... I cannot even kill an ant. How could I kill... maybe not kill... hopefully just catch criminals... and they deserve it... they must have hurt others if I have to fight them... Could I? Well, yes, maybe I could... I need to try it to see how I really feel about it... but I couldn't quit later... That forbidden love part is what is killing me the most... I have never been able to control my emotions... But what if the center of whatever comes up with a solution to this? Then I could freely love Amron, and he could love me... Could he?... I think he could, but I have been wrong too many times before... No, I should stop thinking about him... My decision has a lot more serious consequences than love... My family and my friends are at stake. They might die if I let them down... if I don't take the mission... I can die, so what?... I would anyway, sooner or later... I might even die if I don't take it and that war still breaks out... I must take it... for my friends... for my family... for the world... No. I will take it for myself.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi all,**

**Sorry I have not posted for a while. I will from now on, since the story starts to get more and more exciting. I hop you'll like it, too.**

*Disclaimer* Any Twilight characters that may appear in this story belong to Stephenie Meyer. The remainder is my original work. No reproduction is allowed without my written consent.

* * *

I might have made up my mind to take the mission, but several days passed, yet I heard nothing about Amron. Was it all a dream? The whole story of the System and a magic tattoo seemed too surreal. How could I be so stupid to think it might be true? I was always smart enough to spot liars. So I stopped thinking about that dream or lie, and I rather concentrated on my studies at the end of the school-year.

All my classmates were planning their summer. I was about to go to Long Island with my friends if my grades were good enough for my parents. And if they were not, they would still take me on a family vacation. I took the whole afternoon with the story about guardians to be a dream, but as I was surfing on the Internet for places to stay in Long Island, somebody rang the bell. I answered the door and guess who gave me his irresistible smile?

"Hi, do you remember me? I'm Amron."

"Come," I cleared my throat and fumbled on. "Come on in." I got perplexed. Then it was true? Or was I just dreaming again? No, I was not such a sleepyhead.

"No, it wasn't a dream. Then haven't you come to a decision?" He crossed his arms and his eyes pierced through my heart.

"Well, I'm really interested in this whole System."

"So you mean 'yes'?" Amron wanted an immediate answer.

"I mean 'maybe'. I'd like to see what I'm saying yes to... Zornonia, and the task for which I'd be risking my life."

"You're even more foreseeing than I expected. Okay, you will get these, like I promised. After all, your memories can be erased later, as well. Still, I want to make it clear to you. Do you remember your dream about that war?" I confusedly nodded. "The destruction didn't happen at an unknown place, but it happened here, in Bar Harbor. We don't know yet when or why it will happen, or whose fault it will be, but since your planet was discovered, every guardian has been dreaming about that same war here. And as they are sensitive to the vibrations around them, their visions are taken seriously. So, you wouldn't only be helping unknown planets and alien people by taking your quest, but also your home and family."

"Is it for real? There's gonna be a war? Here? I mean I thought it's not for sure."

"We don't know anything specific yet, but a lot of people are currently working hard on maintaining peace. And if a war brakes out here, it will spread through the whole System..."

"Then I'll take it... I don't want to see that nightmare again. But can I say it for sure on the day before my birthday?" Amron nodded.

We sat down in our open living area on the ground floor, where only a long carpet divided the antique dining room and the simple, but elegant sitting room.

"You look upset. Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing..." I was not too persuasive, so he urged me to explain. "I just thought it was a dream, so I made plans to travel to Long Island with my friends."

"You'll be able to go to any beach in New England as a guardian. It'll be your sphere of action. So I don't think you'd lose much with this trip."

"Sphere of action? What's that?"

"Oh, sorry, I haven't told you this. You'll get your emergency calls from here. It'll be your responsibility to keep it safe. You'll have to get to the scene of the emergency in a few moments with no problem. And I'll be here to help at all times."

"Always? I mean will you always be here?" I smiled with dreamy eyes, but suddenly a great idea came to my mind. "When I was thinking about what we had talked about I wondered if there is a substance that could protect us during intense happiness? And if there isn't yet, but it gets invented, will love still be forbidden?"

"It sounds great, but love would still influence your judgment during a fight. Still, I'll propose your idea."

"Maybe a self-control program installed into the tattoo could help with that, too."

"Wow, you have really innovative ideas, I like it." Amron smiled contently.

"But still, I was also thinking whether I'm the one you're looking for? Are you sure about that? Many people would be a lot more suitable than me. I'm weak, and I've never done anything extraordinary, how could I?... I, I can't..." I hesitated again, as I felt unsure about my capabilities. I had never thought I would have an opportunity like this: a chance to do something that helps people. I might actually be the one who prevents the war from breaking out. The fate of the Earth and many other worlds might depend on me. Still, I doubted I would be the girl the System needs. I was sure Amron was supposed to find another Bella Swan. I did not know exactly what went wrong, I just knew it could not be me who they needed.

"The System is always right, don't worry."

"And the prison colony? My world is at stake because of a mistake that your System made.

"It wasn't the fault of the System. The operator ignored the minor signs, and he didn't take brainwave checks seriously enough, not to mention direct surveillance. He's been dismissed since then, of course, and the new operating team is closely supervised since then. And so is the program that chooses the guardians. A lot of resources are spent on it, and a great many people work hard enough to run it without flaws. So you can be sure that you're the best fit in twenty million. Well, not exactly twenty million, as man-made borders also had to be considered, but you're the best choice in your sphere of action. You will feel certain at the end of your Zornonian trip, if you come. So, are you coming? In three days?"

"Okay, I am. And are we going to spend the whole week together there?"

"Yes, just like the next ten years. I hope. As a guardian and a protector." I couldn't tell if he wanted to be with me or if I was just a task to finish or a prey to tame.

"Are you emphasizing it so much because you're not completely unemotional towards me either?"

"I'm sorry, I've gotta leave now, I have a lot to do: a few last exams, your future emergencies and your preparation. Believe me, it's a lot." He digressed too quickly.

"You could still answer." I insisted to get the reply.

"I told you, I don't have time. I'm already late, I'm sorry. See you on Monday." He disappeared.

"See you," I said in a weak voice as I was falling down onto the couch. "See you." I wished it was Monday already. Amron must like me if he did not want to tell me how he felt. I wished I knew. If only he could manage to get through with that substance and self-control program in the tattoo. How come nobody had realized it was a possible solution? It was just so obvious. They willingly chose to be alone... They must have been insane.

A wormhole opened next to me. It looked like a rainbow, and it held a pair of stunning earrings and a message: "It wasn't a dream." They made me wait for Monday even more.

In the next morning, Violet was ringing our bell, as we were going shopping before the summer vacation.

"Hi, I just need a second." I was putting on my shoes.

"Annette and I booked our rooms, you should check them, they're awesome!"

"You booked the rooms without me?" I made it clear with my tone that it really turned me down to be left out of this.

"Well, yeah, we agreed upon what we would like before Annette and I decided to do it ourselves. Believe me, you'll love it, too. It's right by the beach. It'll be terrific: three best friends going out, sunbathing, shopping and having fun. Now come on, let's buy those bikinis," she chirped.

"I love mine. It'd be a sin to buy new ones. But there are lots of other stuff I need."

"Wow, you've become so inspired. Is there anything I don't know?"

"What do you mean? I don't understand." I smiled.

"Who are you seeing? That foreigner guy? What was his name? Amron?" She thought she saw something I wanted to hide, so she went on.

"Let's just go. Where are we meeting Annette?"

"Don't change the topic!"she shrilled, for I did my best to avoid the answer.

"Where are we meeting her?" I was mad, mostly at myself, because I had no idea what to lie to my friends yet.

"Okay, okay, just calm down. She'll be at the Whale Watch. Now, tell me, please." She gave me the look that always worked on guys, but I knew it too well.

"All right, I've met someone, but nothing can ever happen between us."

"You're amazing. You wouldn't have said anything if I hadn't asked for it. Do I have to force you to tell these things from now on?" She managed to sound playful and demanding at the same time, and I still wondered how she did it.

"I may have said it anyway... Look, there's Annette!" I strove to change the topic.

"Hi girls, what's up?"

"Bella is seeing Amron," answered Violet with nasty eyes.

"Did he give you these earrings? They look stunning." Annette brought on yet another topic I wanted to avoid.

"Oh, nice, I haven't even noticed it. What's this gem? I've never seen anything like that before," Violet added.

"Okay, yes, he gave it to me, but I have no idea about the name of the gem. I haven't seen it here either. Can't we just skip the subject? What do you want to buy?" I got impatient and eager to talk about anything else. I had no clue why they were suddenly so interested in my love life

"At least tell us something about him. Do you know where he's from yet? France? Germany?" Violet kept on asking.

"I don't know." I did my best to look indifferent, but they did not buy it anymore.

"How come you don't know? You didn't even ask this? Then what _did_ you ask? What do you actually know about him?" Annette continued questioning me.

"Can we please talk about anything else? We met twice then he turned out to be sworn to celibacy to someone." I made them feel bad, but I realized I shouldn't have fallen for such an unreachable guy.

"It sounds like he has a girlfriend at home," said Annette with disappointment.

"Maybe you're right. I only know that we can't be together," I sadly added.

"Aw, that's too bad! I'm so sorry. I know how much you wanted to make it work." Violet comforted me.

"Yes, but still, we've become friends in the meantime and it must have meant something," I added quickly.

"See, I told you you shouldn't have taken it for granted." Annette reminded me of her earlier warning.

"I know, you were right," I sighed, before I tried to enlighten the mood. "Anyway, what are we gonna buy?"

"I don't know yet. Something for the trip. You're coming, right?" Violet asked. My first thought was how much I always wanted to go there: sunbathing on the beach, going for a shopping spree in Manhattan, fooling around with handsome guys, and just forgetting about all my problems. Now, it seems, though, that I not only lost my chance to relax, but I would also have to face new problems... While the others would be having fun in New York, I'd be on Zornonia. Or maybe somewhere else already. I definitely could not go with them... To be honest I did not want to anymore, since I knew they left me out of booking our room, so who cares anyway? Like Amron said, I could go to any beach in New England once I became a guardian. But what should I tell my friends as an excuse?

"My parents didn't let me go, so I can't join you girls," I blurted out with apologizing eyes.

"But we already made reservations. Couldn't you improve your grades?" Annette scolded me.

"I could, but I'll have to travel with them, and I won't be back in time to go with you guys. I'm sorry, but I'm sure you can cancel my bed." I had to get out of there as soon as possible. I could lie no longer. "Well, listen, I have to go now. I'm leaving with my parents on Monday, and I haven't even packed yet."

"Monday? The day after tomorrow? Where? How long? How come?" Annette and Violet asked.

"Yes, on Monday, but I don't know where yet. You know they never tell me anything," I replied quickly.

"Then I guess we won't see you before then. Then tell us everything about it after. And have fun." Violet wished, but she was obviously hurt.

"Thanks. Have fun, too. Bye!"

"Bye..." I heard my friends' voice fade away as I was leaving. My conscience was killing me. I had never lied to my friends before. This time I had to, though, as it was something I could not tell them... Besides they left me out of making reservations for our holiday together, which was not fair. As if they did not want me to go with them, or as if I was not their friend... but we still were friends... at least theoretically... but who was I trying to fool? It was not the first time I was left out of something important for all of us. They made me feel like a burden to them almost every day... that I did not fit into their companionship... that they did not need me... Not like Amron: he always made me feel important. We understood each other easily from the start. Although, it is true that we only met twice when I even thought he was crazy, but still, he was very nice and handsome and... and he's here?

He was waiting for me near my home, holding something in his hand... another gift, maybe? Or just a simple package? Why was he there? Maybe that love substance had been invented? Or a self-control program at least?... He looked great as always, even better... like a demi-god. His white-blue striped shirt let me see his muscles and those blue jeans were hanging off his hips in a way that made me wonder what could happen between us.

"Hi, I've brought this for you. I hope you'll like it. How did you like the earrings?" he handed me a package with confidence.

"Wow, there's finally something you don't know about me!" I was making fun of Amron.

"I know you liked them, I just wanted to assure you that it was me who gave them to you," he answered back.

"How nice of you." I giggled as I was opening my present: a necklace with a medal that seemed to be the part of the same set as the earrings. "It's wonderful!"

"The gem in the middle is a Desvalan dijonium, which is like your diamond, but as you can see, it changes its colors during the day. I think it looks the most stunning in the mornings. The two middle sized gems on your necklace and the two similar ones on your earrings are siklo gems, or star gems in your language, which they got after their shape. They're pink when you are happy, purple when you're sad, gray when you're bored, and almost blindingly yellow when you're excited. The tiny gems on your necklace and earrings are mimrosies. They're also called weather forecast stones, as they always show you the color of the sky the same time next day."

"All the gems change their color in Desvala?"

"Yes, most of them. Probably because of the seven moons, which have permanent colored gems, the yuenei stones, or moonstones. They're the most expensive ones in the System. So, do you like these?"

"Oh, I love them, thank you. Do you wanna come in?" I held high hopes to spend more time with him.

"No, thanks. I have no time now, but three siklo gems belong together, and I have two in my watch. Can you see them?" He showed me the watch, but I had no clue what it had to do with his leaving.

"Yes, so?" I confusedly asked. "Why does it matter?"

"As you have more, mine will change color according to yours, and if you seem to have a problem I'll be right here."

"Thank you, I appreciate it." My heart got melted with joy, knowing that Amron would show up anytime I needed him.

"Oh, and here's a list about the things you should know or get before you come to Zornonia. Read it today, as you might need to buy stuff, but I think you have almost all of them."

"I bet you're right. Are you coming again before we leave?"

"I won't. I'll see you on Monday. Now I must leave." He left in that glowing ball again and I went to my room to open the envelope as soon as I gently smashed the door.

Necessary for 2.7.15 residents:

Clothes for extreme hot and cold

Lotion to protect skin and hair

Forbidden to guardians:

Consumption of psychoactive substances (alcohol, drugs, cigarette and the likes)

Love

Refusal to follow orders

Treason

Mentioning the System on outer planets unless commanded otherwise

If you accept these terms, then you and your protector are welcome at your orientation and later at your Initiation

"Wow, it sounds serious. I agree with the forbidden part, but why would I need summer and winter clothes for one week? Why are skin and hair protection mentioned at all? And how will I get an interpreting device in their languages? Well, I guess Amron will tell me everything before we leave... I have less than two days left! I can't wait!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi,**

**Now Bella's journey finally begins. Let me know if you like it or not. :)**

*Disclaimer* Any Twilight characters that may appear in this story belong to Stephenie Meyer. The remainder is my original work. No reproduction is allowed without my written consent.

* * *

Monday morning came fast. I woke up early because I could not wait for Amron's arrival, but it was almost eleven when he showed up.

"Hi, I thought I'd come earlier to get anything you might need. Is there anything you don't have?"

Earlier? I thought he was not coming after all. It was almost lunchtime. I must have misunderstood something, so I rather asked about the letter. " I don't have an interpreting device."

"Don't worry we'll get it there. Yours don't have the necessary languages anyway," he answered, then looked around. "Are you ready? Then I guess we can leave in a few minutes. Still, you can decide not to come, and also if you change your mind during the week, you can say no before your Initiation. So, just in case, think about what life you're leaving behind, who you're gonna see less, what you won't have time for..." he listed the dark side of my future, but I wanted to keep my confidence in my decision, so I made him stop.

"Okay, I got it, I got it. You're trying to dissuade me of the whole mission, or what?"

"Now that's what I should do, yes. I have to discourage you, so that you can be absolutely sure about yourself and your decision," he replied in a serious tone, but his eyes remained playful.

"I'm completely sure now." I wanted to give him a smile, but it somehow came out with conviction.

"Then we can take off... Oh, I almost forgot." He pushed a couple of buttons on a ring, which he put onto the nightstand and asked me to lie down on the bed and talk as if I was sick. Then he said a few strange words. "A koma mi mialto s tor mon mi noma rej." After a few minutes of my fake-whining he said "Alon. It was enough, now we can go. Are you ready?"

"What did you do this for?" I asked as he turned my head back to look at myself in bed.

"It'll make people believe that you're here, sick, and if you get anything, like food or medication, it'll come to your room on Zornonia. You'll also use this ring when you have to leave school for an emergency call." Seeing my zestful smile, he continued. "You can get calls anytime. Even while you're asleep or when you go out. And you will learn nothing new at school, anyway." As he saw that I understood it was not all a bed of roses, he opened the glowing ball that turned out to be connected to a wormhole. "Porti mo sa: ano ano on, nonna tena zot." It looked like a lightning from the inside, except that it was a capsule with five winged chairs in it.

Amron told me to sit down in one of them and put my luggage on another. I took the seat next to him then the ground disappeared from under my feet, and all I could see was a bright tunnel. I felt we were traveling at light speed at least. I tried to turn back to check if I could still see my room, but I sank into the chair and could not move anymore. I got scared to the core, but having been able to force my head to turn toward Amron, I saw how serene he was. Probably it was his hundredth trip with this capsule, and he must trust its safety.

I ran out of time to think about this, as I saw the end of the tunnel, a misty white light, when we began slowing down gradually and broke to a stop at the end of the wormhole.

"So, did you like your first trip with the port?" he asked as if he was uninterested, but he seemed to hold something back.

"It was weird... and unusually... fast... but I liked it," I fumbled first, but ended up with a wide grin on my face. "I think I'll love it!"

"I've been hoping so. You'll have to use it a lot."

"So this is Zornonia. It looks pretty strange, but I think I could live here."

"Don't judge a book by its cover," he said with an ironic outcome.

We arrived at a wonderful park with plants that I had not been able to imagine before: the flowers in the size of a bush had smaller ones twisting around them like tendrils They created an effect of Christmas lights with their glowing whenever sunlight touched them. I only missed the color green. All plants looked photoshopped to a light turquoise like some toothpaste on the Earth.

When we got out of the park, a completely different world burst upon our view: people were bustling everywhere. They must have been feeling hot, as the temperature was over a hundred Fahrenheit and their suits looked like pajamas under a bathrobe: gray silk pants and shirt, and a long black coat.

Not only people, but cars were everywhere, as well. They ran on so many levels of highways that I could not count. The top of the buildings could not be seen, but they looked as if they were trying to prevail against the others: they were showing the way to heaven with their stunning shapes and shiny glass walls. The sky also looked photoshopped to me with its distorted blue color and yellow clouds that looked like cotton candy. The whole world looked like a fabulous picture of a storybook. decorated with shiny buildings. I really felt like in heaven, I could just fly away.

"U, mo kesha, mont ro on sole sa?" a few wealthy guys shouted out of a luxurious vehicle.

"Zot nomo ko e!" Amron retorted to defend me.

"What did they say?" I asked.

"You don't wanna know. See, this is one of the reasons why it is a place to work and not to live. Those who move here are usually the most pretentious and shallow brats in the System."

"If they said what I think they said, then I wouldn't live here either. Anyway, where are we going?"

"To our quarters at Moni Maaree. Hotel rooms are reserved for guardians and protectors."

"Does it mean something?"

"Moni Maaree? It means wise count."

"Has there been counts here?"

"There were Middle Ages here, as well. I mean not here, but on Enoria, a very long time ago. And this hotel is one of the oldest in the System, and I guess that's how its name was chosen. But don't worry, it's still modern and also perfect for observation."

"Is it far?"

"Can you see that building that's reflecting golden light, instead of silver?" I nodded to his question. "Well, that's Moni Maaree."

The building looked like a pile of gold bars with an entrance similar to an open curtain on a stage, except that it was made of gold. When I asked about the material, Amron told me that it was not as valuable there as it was on the Earth, since Desvalan stones and Beiornan metals are a lot more enduring and rare. Gold, on the contrary, could be found on any planet in the System.

"Son mont ko?" a receptionist asked us at the entrance.

"Po mont on sik, no lon Amron Demrix, mi bo lee Isabella Swan, on uniee eyoorin. No lon cho pimenaar," Amron answered.

"Aa, no moen soe. Kaamo zo lo siko. Sue pa mer mi sue pa xen," the receptionist responded as he gave Amron our keys.

"We're in rooms 435 and 436," Amron told me.

"It sounded great," I stated. "Would you teach me a few important words so that I can understand a little this week?" I asked, and he promised me to do so.

The inside looked as sumptuous as the outside, with various shades of gold, and a huge stage with black balls on pillars at its corners. As the balls glowed up, strange figures appeared on the stage. It looked like a five-foot tall 3D TV. I loved it.

Inside the elevators, I saw no buttons and the walls led toward infinity, like mirrors without reflections. Having stepped out of the elevator and getting close to our rooms, Amron gave me a spontaneous lesson on Mimori, the language of the System.

"What do they mean?" I asked pointing toward the strange signs above my door.

"It means guardian."

"Which is..." I wanted to know the word for it.

"Eyoorin."

"Eyoorin?" I asked to check if I could say it correctly.

"Yes, superb... But I think you'd better rest up now instead of learning a language. You must be tired and the week's not over yet," he kindly suggested.

"How do you wish a good night's sleep?"

"Piiko moreeno."

"Then piiko moreeno."

"Same to you." He appreciated my efforts with a discreet smile.

Having entered my room, I could not stop marveling. Not only because I was there, but also at the room itself. I saw the stage with black balls again, my dressing table had a bowl sunk into its middle, and I had no idea what the circular hot tub might be. As I got close to the strange hot tub, I noticed four buttons on it depicting a pillow, water, a cloud and a blank one. I pushed the one with a cloud, but nothing happened. I took off my clothes and got into it, looking for a faucet to take a bath, but as I stepped into it, bubbles came out of the holes on its side, and it got fully filled with soft, enduring bubbles that seemed to be staying there as long as I needed it. When I lay down I felt calmer than ever: a strange feeling pervaded my body, as if it was being caressed by silk. When I raised my hand to check how wet it was, I noticed it only had bubbles on it, without a drop of water. My skin, however, got so soft as if it was not solid anymore, but almost turned to jelly. I could not even compare it to anything. So I abandoned myself to this pleasant, soothing feeling that was taking hold of me as I let myself relax. Amron entered in swimming trunks, looking at me, so I called for him:

"Amron! Amron, come here! Amron."

"I'm coming, don't worry. Everything's all right." He calmed me then joined me in the tub. He massaged my shoulders and arms before he would touch my waist...

"Bella! Bella, are you all right?" Amron entered the room for real this time, waking me up.

"What? What happened? Why are you there? You were..." Reality hit me: I just dozed off.

"It was just a dream, don't worry. It was just a dream." He comforted me. I hoped he had no idea what I had just seen. He came to the tub, in a shirt and shorts, and sweetly rested his elbows on its edge as he ran his fingers through my hair.

"You should get out and open the bed. And also, put on something warm, since thirty Fahrenheit is coming soon."

"Zero? Wasn't it a hundred when we arrived? Then that's why I need so many clothes!"

"It'll only take a moment. A sudden fall in temperature starts every day and stops at thirty degrees and goes back to a hundred again. Life on this planet was about to cease, and it was the only way to save it. It's not the perfect solution, but still bearable."

"I see now. Oh, and one more thing: I don't really understand this thing." I touched my tub.

"Do you mean the multifunctional tub? It's simple: it has four buttons. Do you see them? They're on your right. The blank one clears it out, the one with a water sign turns it to a water tub, the one with bubbles turns it to what you're lying in, and the one with a pillow turns it to a bed. Can you handle it yourself?"

"I hope so. If I can't get on with it I'll let you know."

"Okay, but now hurry up. You have about five or six minutes left."

After Amron left the room, I got out of the tub, pressed the blank button then the pillow, which made the bubbles disappear, and a blanket with pillows slipped out from the top hole, and the bottom of the tub ascended as if it was blown up, like a mattress. In a few moments, there was a beautiful, neatly made bed. By then, I had wiped the rest of the bubbles off my body, and changed to my warm pajamas. I sat down on the bed, which was pleasantly warm, as if it was heated. I was about to lie down when I became curious: how does that stage work?

I did not find any buttons, so it did not help. I tried to step onto it, trying to find something in the back to turn it on, but as I reached the edge of the platform, something shook me. I checked the pillars at its corners and I found a blue square on the front right one, which I touched as the balls glowed up and figures appeared: it looked like a sports match. Men were floating above the surface of a giant pool, with a huge target board on its two ends. They had several balls that disappeared if they touched either the boards or the surface of the water, when two new balls got shot out from under the middle of the pool.

I found it interesting, so I went to bed and watched it on from there. In a few minutes, though, a commercial break started, just like on the Earth. The first one was showing a pleasure ground, Etaiin, the size of which must have been of a city at least. Then the waiters and waitresses of a restaurant-chain, Loemuenee, invited me with warm a smile, and then something astounding was broadcast.

"Samunee ko e ud uniee eyoorino," said a deep masculine voice, as a few girls, three at a time, were being shown. All of them were made to turn around, walk and laugh, as if they were dolls in a shop window. And after the sixth girl:

"What?!" I shrilled when I saw myself turning, walking and laughing. "Amron!" I called for his help, and he looked weary as he appeared at the door.

"What's wrong again, Bella?"

"What's this? What am I doing there?" I yelled.

"I told you everybody keeps a track of the guardians. Probably protectors will be shown in the next break," he yawned.

"But shouldn't I have been asked first? We have certain rights on the Earth..."

"I told you that you should expect this if you take your mission. You practically agreed to it by coming here with me. It would make anyone else happy."

"I'm happy, really," I teased him. "But it would look pretty disappointing if I backed out now, wouldn't it? And why did I have no idea about it?"

"I told you, don't you remember? We were in the coffeehouse. I told you that your important deeds, including your Initiation will be broadcast and it looks like its trailer. It's a bit similar to your reality shows from this aspect. And back out if you want, I told you you can. You're just in the trailer because the candidates who come this far don't tend to step back." His low voice calmed me.

"Oh, yeah, you told me something about the broadcasts and the interest." My conscience made me say these words, as I had realized I overreacted the situation again. "Then I'm... Am I famous now?"

"Yes, you are. You'd better get used to it. But now you really should go to bed."

"Okay, of course, just turn it off, please."

"All right. Alon."

"Is it that simple?"

"Yeah. Sleep well," he said impatiently.

"Piiko moreeno," I apologized as Amron left the room.

I was too anxious to wind down, since I wondered what I should expect from the following week, and if I would back out after my orientation. Fame was tempting, but not before I knew exactly what I would take. Still, I went off as soon as I burrowed down under the covers, and I heard a soothing silent lullaby I heard dimly, softly, tenderly from somewhere deep inside the bed.


End file.
